Nov 10, 2008

Dear Santa, I need a job!By Eric GlasserWPTV.com

Wellington, FL — Ask plenty of people what tops their holiday wish-list this year, and many will say a job.

“I mean people have come to me here and said ‘Do you know anywhere else people are hiring?’ because they’re sadly desperate for jobs right now.” says Michelle Gaffney who operates a Christmas ornament kiosk in the Mall at Wellington Green.

A recent survey found retailers are cutting back on seasonal staffers this year by about 20%, expecting softer retail sales in a tough economy.

“We’ll be hiring four or five employees,” says Gaffney, “Last year I think we had six or seven. So we’re cutting down a little bit on that.”

Florida could be one of the toughest hit. The state has suffered the nation’s worst unemployment spike this year.

“I’m still anticipating a good holiday,” says Connie Angrisani, who manages the mall’s Brighton Collectibles store.

Angrisani says she’s trying to stay optimistic. Last year she hired thirty seasonal workers.

This year she plans to do the same.

“We can’t just wait for people to come into the store,” says Angrisani, “We have to go the extra mile to get them into the store.”

At Workforce Alliance in West Palm Beach where they help people get jobs, they say competition for seasonal work will be fierce this year.

Many more highly-skilled and well-educated workers have joined the ranks of the unemployed.

Their advice? Be very flexible.

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